Chemistry-Biochemistryexternal image atom2.jpg

Unit objectives:
  • atoms
  • elements and isotopes
  • chemical isotopes
  • chemical compounds
  • chemical bonds
  • solutions and suspensions
  • acids, bases, and pH
  • organic compounds
  • chemical reactions

Summary:Our unit is about the elements of life. This unit is about teaching about what bonds make up our body and what they do to help us. Also, were going to teach about what elements and what atoms are around us and in us.Also, in this unit, there is information about what chemicals are essential for life.

glossary of unit terms:
  1. acid: compound that forms hydrogen ions in solution
  2. activation energy: chemists term to call energy that is needed to get a reaction started
  3. adhesion: an attraction between molecules of the same substance
  4. amino acid: compound with an amino group (-NH2) on one end and a carboxyl group (-COOH) on the other end
  5. atom: basic unit of matter
  6. base: compound that produces hydroxide ions in solution
  7. buffer: weak acid or base that can react with strong acids or bases to help prevent sharp, sudden changes in pH
  8. carbohydrate: compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source of energy for the human body
  9. catalyst: a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction
  10. chemical reaction: process that changes, or transforms, one set of chemicals into another
  11. cohesion: an attraction between molecules of the same substance
  12. compound: substance formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements in definite proportions
  13. covalent bond: bond formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms
  14. deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): nucleic acid that contains the sugar deoxyribose
  15. electron: negatively charged particle; located outside the atomic nucleus
  16. element: substance consisting entirely of one type of atom
  17. enzyme: proteins that act as biological catalysts
  18. ion: atom that has a positive or negative charge
  19. ionic bond: bond formed when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another
  20. isotope: atom of an element that has a number of neutrons different from that of other atoms of the same element
  21. lipid: macromolecule made mainly from carbon and hydrogen atoms; includes fats, oils, and waxes
  22. nucleus: the center of the atom which contains the protons and neutrons; in cells, structure that contains the cell's genetic material (DNA) and controls the cell's activties
  23. mixture: a material composed of two or more elements or compounds that are physically mixed together but not chemically combined
  24. molecule: smallest unit of most compounds
  25. monomer: small unit that can join together with other small units to form polymers
  26. monosaccharide: single sugar molecule
  27. nucleic acid: macromolecule containing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus
  28. nucleotide: monomer of nucleic acids made up of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base
  29. pH scale: measurement system used to indicate the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution; ranges from 0 to 14
  30. polymer: large compound formed from combinations of many monomers
  31. polysaccharide: large macromolecule formed from monosaccharides
  32. product: elements or compounds produced by a chemical reaction
  33. protein: macromolecule that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; needed by the body for growth and repair and to make up enzymes
  34. reactant: elements or compunds that enter into a chemical reaction
  35. ribonucleic acid (RNA): single-stranded nucleic acid that contains the sugar ribose
  36. solute: substance that is dissolved in a solvent to make a solution
  37. solution: mixture of two or more substances in which the molecules of the substance are evenly distributed
  38. solvent: substance in which a solute is dissolved in a solvent to make a solution
  39. substrate: reactants of enzyme
  40. suspension: mixture of water and nondissolved materials
  41. van der Waals forces: a slight attraction that develops between the oppositely charged regions of nearby molecules